Both the Carnatic and Hindustani classical traditions are filled with the songs of birds. Birds soar through compositions, appearing not just as literal references but as rich metaphorical devices that deepen the artistic expression of the pieces.
This isn’t really surprising. Both Hindustani and Carnatic music are based on the sapta swaras or seven musical notes – sa, ri, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni. Among them, the note “ma” (madhyama) is said to have evolved from the cry of the heron or dove, “pa” (panchama) from the cuckoo and sa (shadja) from the peacock.
So it is only natural that birdsong has played an important role in Indian classical music. Here are some examples.
In the Hindustani music bandish Piyu Piyu Ratata, for instance, the plaintive calls of birds such as the common hawk cuckoo, the koel and the peacock evoke a yearning for a beloved.
Thiruppavai, a collection of hymns by the 8th-century Tamil Bhakti mystic poet Andal, centres around the theme of devotion for Perumal (god) and features many birds including black birds, hens, koels and parrots.
Andal goes beyond literal reference to these birds. She uses a young parrot (illangkiliye) as a metaphor for her still-slumbering friend whom she seeks to awaken at the crack of dawn.
Much of the Bhakti canon, of which Andal’s works form a part, is widely recognised for the themes of devotion and love for or surrender to a personal god. Almost all these works, from Andal’s in the 8th century to Ambabai in the 19th, are rife with figures of speech – often featuring birds and animals.
Classical Carnatic music songs which focus on devotion, often portray the vahanas (vehicles) of the gods.
A great example of this is Carnatic composer Tyagaraja’s song Nagumomu. Listening to MS Subbulakshmi singing it, Tyagaraja’s evocative words paint a picture of his ishta devata (favourite god) Rama and his numerous feats. In the same song Tyagaraja refers to the eagle mount Garuda as reliable and responsive.
The 15th-century Carnatic composer Annamacharya in his Telugu song Garuda Gamana alludes to Vishnu as Garudadhvaja or eagle flag.
Crows appear widely in vernacular poetry. In his abhang Paila Toge Kau, the 12th-century Marathi mystic poet Dhyaneshwar addresses the crow as a cherished friend and messenger.
In this devotional verse in praise of the deity Vittoba or Vittala of Pandharpur, the poet offers several inducements such as curds and juicy mangoes to his friend. The abhang ends with the one question hovering in the poet’s mind: when will his beloved Vittala arrive?
The Tamil poet Subramania Bharati uses the same bird to make the point that god is in the ordinary and everyday. In the opening lines of his poem Kaakkai Siraginile, the poet says he sees the deity Krishna’s essence in the blackness of a crow’s feather.
Sanskrit poet Jayadeva in his magnum opus Geet Govinda takes the example of the chakora or chukar partridge to express Krishna’s intense longing for Radha.
Birds are not confined to representing love or devotion alone. In his doha Ud Jayega Hans Akela, the iconoclastic poet Kabir uses the swan as a metaphor for the human spirit emphasizing its free spirit and how it seeks detachment from worldly ties.
While the koel is popular with poets across languages to portray feelings of love, loss and longing, the 12th century Kannada poet Allama Prabhu in his vachana (rhythmic verses), Etthana Maamara Etthana Kokile wonders about the possible relationship between seemingly unrelated things such as mango trees and koels.
The use of the bird here denotes the coming together of the individual atma with the almighty paramatma.
In the works of the renowned Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore, birds engage in deep conversations. In his poem Khaanchar Paakhi Chilo, two birds – one caged, the other free – spark contemplation about the meaning of freedom and our own identification with these creatures.
This 20th-century work comes full circle with the verse of the Mandukya Upanishad (500 BCE-1 CE beginning Dva Suparna that uses two unspecified birds to raise a rhetorical question about the observer and observed.
Recognising the poetic value of lyrics can enhance the experience of listeners, allowing them to appreciate the profound symbolism and beauty of compositions. As they unravel the layers of meaning and emotion embedded in these compositions, they open ourselves to a deeper understanding of the rich cultural tapestry that intertwines music, poetry and nature.
Chitra Srikrishna is a Carnatic vocalist based in Bangalore. Her blog can be accessed here.
